Karz (debt), the blockbuster Bollywood movie of 1980 starring Rishi Kapoor and Simi Garewal in the lead (I don't count Tina Munim as the lead actress in this film because she was just there to dance around with Rishi Kapoor and in no way was connected to the main story of Rishi Kapoor and Simi Garewal) and directed by Subhash Ghai, is a story of rebirth and revenge. This is one of my favorite movies. I have seen it "n" number of times and I love it mostly because of the music which was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.
The concept of rebirth is centric to the philosophy of Hinduism along with the notion of Karma. So based on this idea film Karz is about Ravi Verma (charachter played by Raj Kiran) who is brutally murdered by his wife Kamini Verma (played by Simi Garewal) in front of a Kali temple on the hills of Ooty while on their way to Ravi's mansion where his mother and sister are waiting eagerly for the arrival of newly weds. Kamini Verma is a puppet in the hands of villainous Sir Judah (character played by Prem Nath), who is after the property and wealth of Ravi Verma. Now as planned by goddess Kali (or should I say Director) the jeep in which the couple is traveling suddenly stops in front of the Kali temple. Poor Ravi Verma has no idea that his minutes and seconds are numbered ! He checks the radiator....there is no water....goes to a near-by pond and gets this filthy dirty water in a can (what would you expect otherwise....a pond of mineral water !!!). Before he fills the water in the radiator he starts to explain Kamini how to touch the feet of his mother (She doesn't know a thing about our great culture as she is an "angrezee" girl). As he is showing her, she starts the jeep and hits him over and over again till he falls from the beautiful lush greens hills of Ooty (please don't aks me how did the jeep start running....maybe thanks to goddess Kali....god/goddess works in mysterious ways !!!) That's the end of Ravi Verma and our dear Goddess is a witness to this heinous crime. Thank god at least somebody was a witness !! At the mansion, over the dead body of his son, the bereaved mother is shouting at the top of her voice to goddess Kali that she (Kali) would have to bring her son back one day to this very mansion. Now look if somebody shouts so loud (if you have seen the movie) then even the deaf would begin to hear and here we are talking about our Kali ! So she could not ignore the pleas of a grief-stricken mother ("Ok, Ok I hear you. Just stop shouting now. Ufffff my ears ! You mortal beings are a bit too much at times. I will bring your son back but you have to wait for 21 years. I know, I know 21 years is a long time but look dear mother I have lot of other rebirth cases to take care of, you are not the only one. So, is that a deal?")
So now the story shifts to some place else. We see Monty (the character played by Rishi Kapoor) on the streets and eventually on a stage performing in front of a large audience. We come to know that he is a very famous singer and performer and has a large female-fan following including me ! The movie also reveals that he was "adopted" by a some Mr. Oberoi because of Monty's singing talent. This Mr. Oberoi is a hardcore businessman and cares only about the profits coming from the performances of his "adopted son". Monty misses the love of his "parents" and tells his friend wish he had a mother whom he could hug and love and never let her go away. Ok dear, what about the father....no love for father....what about siblings?? no love for siblings either?? ya I know the story demands it but at least you could have mentioned them ....on your own....once.
Enter Tina (character played by Tina Munim). Monty meets this girl at a party and falls in love with her. There he sings one of the most beautful romantic song I have ever heard "Dard-de-Dil". And couple of minutes later he performs a dance number on the stage for his love "Om shanti Om" (NO ! not "Om shanti Om" by Farah Khan). After the performance he starts to play the tune of "Ek Hasena Thi" on his guitar and his past life starts flashing in front of his eyes. He faints !! Doctors suggest that he is stressed and hence needs a break from work. He goes to Ooty and then bumps into Tina where the two fall in love. While singing and dancing around the trees he sees THE mansion and tea estates which once belonged to him in past life and faints again !! Enough of fainting dude ! He tries to find out about Ravi Verma by talking to people in the area and comes to know that he (Ravi) died in an accident and after sometime his mother and sister were thrown out off the mansion by Kamini Verma; there is no clue of them. In the meantime he meets Kamini at a party and suddenly wants to kill her "I will kill her !" "I want her". He thinks things won't work out like this as nobody would believe about his past life so he befriends Kamini and pretends to fall in love with her.
Monty tries to psychologically scare Kamini. So here is a very funny scene - Kamini and Monty are out on a night drive in a jeep. Suddenly the jeep breaks down right in front of Kali temple (rather the jeep pretends to break itself down ! You see even jeep has been roped in by Kali to play a crucial role). So Monty gets down and goes to bring water from a near by pond as there is no water in the radiator. In the meantime, Kamini is pretty scared as it is pitch dark. Suddenly she sees four skeletons on a car and they get down and start dancing in front of her (these are the friends of Monty) !!!! Guess what? Kamini is too scared. If you have seen the movie you would know what I am talking about. They dance like tribals.....it is ssssoooo funny to watch. Zee Horror Show was slightly scarier than this !! Kamini shouts "Monty ghosts....ghosts !" Woman..have you ever seen ghosts driving a car....and dancing like tribals !!
Monty manages to find his missing mother and sister. He takes revenge from Kamini and Sir Judah. Monty aka Ravi Verma is back !!! A perfect story of rebirth and revenge....Om Shanti Om !!
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